San Rafael woman kicks officer in face, chest after alleged attack on other woman

A 23-year-old woman is in custody after throwing a knife at someone in a San Rafael home on Wednesday morning and then attacking an officer who was securing her in a patrol car, police said.

Officers responded at 8:19 a.m. to a home in the 300 block of Sylvia Way on a report that a woman later identified as Castanya Tompkins had assaulted someone else in the home.

Tompkins had left before officers arrived, and the victim told police that Tompkins punched her four times in the face, then left the room only to return a minute later to throw a large kitchen knife at the victim, narrowly missing her, police said.

Officers searched the area for Tompkins and located her in the area of Lea Drive and Regina Way, where they arrested her and placed her in a patrol car. Tompkins then removed her seatbelt and moved around in the car, and refused to follow orders by an officer, according to police.

Another officer then opened a door to the car and Tompkins tried to escape, at some point kicking the officer once in the chest and once in the eye. She was eventually secured in the car and the officer did not require medical attention, police said.

Tompkins was booked into Marin County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, battery on a peace officer and battery on a person.